stunned,
and speedily recovered. He got on his feet and looked about him, as if
considering what was to be done.

"We're in a bad state, Wetherholm, but, as I before said, while there's
life there's hope. We must try to keep the brig afloat until the
morning and perhaps, as we are in the track of vessels coming in and out
of the Channel, we may be seen and taken off. Where are the rest of the
men?"

"I am afraid, sir, they are washed overboard, except the man we see
there; who he is I can't make out."

"Call him," said Mr Harvey.

"Come aft here!" I shouted.

"Ay, ay!" answered a voice which, to my great satisfaction, I recognised
as that of Dick Hagger. He did not, however, move, but I saw that he
was engaged in casting himself loose. He at length staggered aft to
where we were holding on.

"Did you call me, sir?" he asked.

"Yes, my man. Where are the rest of the people?" said Mr Harvey.

"That's more than I can tell, sir," answered Dick. "I saw the sea
coming, and was making myself fast, when I got a lick on the head which
knocked the senses out of me." After saying this, he looked forward,
and for the first time seemed to be aware that we three, as far as we
could tell, were the only persons left on board.

The blast which had carried away the foremast seemed to be the last of
the gale. The wind dropped almost immediately, and though the seas came
rolling up and tumbled the hapless brig about, no others of the height
of the former one broke over us. Our young officer was quickly himself
again, and summoned Hagger and me to the pumps.

We all worked away, knowing that our lives might depend upon our
exertions. Though we did not gain on the water, still the brig remained
buoyant. This encouraged us to hope that we might keep her afloat until
we could be taken off. It was heavy work. Dick and I tried to save our
officer, who had less physical strength than we had, as much as
possible.

Hour after hour we laboured on, the brig rolling fearfully in the trough
of the sea, and ever and anon the water rushed over us, while we held
fast to save ourselves from being carried away. At length we could
judge by the movement of the vessel that the sea was going down, as we
had expected it would do since there was no longer any wind to agitate
it.

At length daylight broke, but when we looked out over the tumbling,
lead-coloured ocean, not a sail could we discern. We sounded the well,
and found ei